Volume 36, Issue 17

Volume 36, Issue 17

Jan. 19, 2016

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with Concordia s International Tuition

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU LL GET

Just said Coolio to an interview subject since 1980

P 6

SPORTS

FRINGE ARTS

Dribbling Through Adversity

Th(Ink)ing it Through

The struggle of being a diabetic athlete revealed by Stinger Jonanthan Mirambeau. P. 11

Ready to commit? A tattoo artist opens his home to you. P. 9

EDITORIAL Clamping Down Why deregulation doesn’t help anyone. P. 15

6 Years

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Sad, lonely poster just waiting to be read in the Concordia metro tunnel.

NIKOLAS LITZENBERGER

Where’s Concordia Heading?

What Are Strategic Directions and How Will They Affect Your Life? the production of the document,� says Terry do all these nine great things.�

Wilkings, another student Senator and execuOne of the keys to garnering this higher tive of the CSU. The new Provost, he says, will profile is through the first direction, “Double You’ve probably received emails from Concor- have a difficult time implementing directions our research,� Miller believes. dia inviting you to partake in an “Idea Cafe� for he or she had no part in creating. “The research part is scary,� she comments. its new strategic directions, trashed them and She’s been an opponent of this direction from never thought to go.

What these directions can do the beginning since it’s the only one with a Or you may have seen the directions adver- Phase two is ongoing, but should be com- numerical value. tised around campus on posters, just waiting pleted this semester. There aren’t many Concordia can’t become a big research unito be tagged over. concrete examples yet of how the directions versity while equally valuing and promoting These strategic directions have been in the will be implemented, but committees at teaching, she argues. works for over a year, mainly through com- Senate are starting to discuss possible ideas. “Professors should want to do research at mittees of Concordia’s Senate, the university’s “Get your hands dirty� became a direc- our institution obviously, but if that takes second highest decision-making body. Senate tion because students consistently asked in away from teaching then that’s dangerous,� approved the first phase last summer, defining surveys and discussions for more hands-on she says. the nine directions the school plans to take. experience, according to Bacon.

Emphasizing and marketing Concordia as Overall, most parties—students, staff and Miller identifies with “Teach for tomorrow.� one of the best research institutions could lead faculty—express optimism around how these She believes both students and faculty want to to more funding, especially from alumni, but directions can shape Concordia’s future. But have smaller class sizes where professors learn doing so requires some sacrifice, Miller explains. depending on who you talk to, there may be everyone’s names.

This sentiment was brought up at the some concern for what that future may look like.  At a Senate meeting in December, Lisa December Senate meeting by a few Senators. “If you just see those words with the nine Ostiguy, the school’s Deputy Provost, said for Lana Galbraith, a student Senator, asked things, you might think this is just for show,� “Embrace the city,� they’re considering build- whether doubling research meant doubling says Marion Miller, a student Senator and exec- ing a “one-stop hub� city space for Concordia the number of research assistants or increasutive of the Concordia Student Union. “I’m students to meet with influential figures from ing compensation for the existing ones. willing to play along with the show if we get to around Montreal.   Virginia Penhune, the chair of the psycholtalk about deep values of an institution—for ogy department, expressed her concerns at me it’ll be a question of ‘do we get the results?’� Cause for concern Senate that even if more money became availThe second phase of strategic directions Dealing with austerity measures—budget able to hire full-time professors, they wouldn’t will be more action-oriented, according to cuts—by the provincial government has teach many classes.

Benoit-Antoine Bacon, Concordia’s Provost been a consistent narrative for Concordia in Miller says creating a culture of hands-on and Vice President of Academic Affairs. the past few years. The university is working experience that many students seek can lead to The directions take into consideration with a limited set of resources, Bacon admits, a more impressionable experience at Concordia.

Concordia’s history and strengths, but and says this set of strategic directions is not “I don’t think we’ll make it if it’s about acknowledge that the institution needs to a “tool� to grow them. research,� she says. “If we make it about comadapt, he says.

Instead, he calls it an academic tool to help munity engagement we’re onto something Goals and metrics are being determined use resources more efficiently. Implement- there.�     to measure how well the directions will be ing the strategic directions properly could  Environmental sustainability has also been implemented in the coming years, according create a better international reputation for pushed to the wayside in the strategic directo Bacon, but the provost won’t be around Concordia and potentially generate greater tions, Miller says. to see the results himself. Bacon recently revenue, Bacon says. “It’s funny how the university doesn’t want announced he’s moving to Queen’s University “Right now is the really hopeful phase,� to focus on it even though it’s doing relatively in Ontario for the fall semester.

Miller says. “I think it is naive to say we’re going well in [the field],� she says. “The timing of his departure is regret- to push forward with budget compressions Trevor James Smith, a former student Senatable when he has been a big contributor to we’re facing from our current government and tor, brought up this concern last year at a May JONATHAN CARAGAY-COOK @HIIMBIRACIAL

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Senate meeting when the first phase of the directions was almost unanimously passed.

He talked about his concern at the time that the directions treated sustainability as a “niche� topic. He argued all students, regardless of program, should leave Concordia with a “general aptitude� in sustainability.

Miller says a Senate committee is examining how sustainability can be integrated into all nine directions, but she says it should have been there from the get-go, possibly as its own direction.  Students have a say Attend any Senate session and you can see the involvement of the body’s student Senators, especially in regard to strategic directions. “Our strategy has been to attack everywhere we can be in,� Miller says about a unified student movement. “When they’re talking about mix it up, we’re talking about interdisciplinary and community engagement. When they’re talking about [growing] smartly, we’re also trying to push sustainability.�

In the past academic plan, this wasn’t necessarily the case. In 2012, student Senators voted against the school’s academic plan for 2012-2016, according to Miller. While she wasn’t a student at the time, she says one committee constructed the plan without any student involvement.

Bacon says strategic directions have similar goals in spirit to the last plan, which was dubbed “Reaching Up, Reaching Out.� Only the specifics have changed to match changes in the world, he explains.

Both Bacon and Miller say the strategic directions will act as a guideline for where Concordia goes in the future. Holding the university accountable and making sure these directions translate into a better academic experience will be the job of students, Miller says.     “It’s always our job to be that voice because we’re the core of the university experience,� she says.

4

CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Stop-Gap App Is Tinder All That We Crack It Up To Be? SARAH JESMER

I matched with Tim (name changed to keep his anonymity) within the first night of having Tinder. We sent each other about six messages before he offered to take me out. I liked that he wanted to meet. I wasn’t interested in spending my days sending pointless messages to random guys. “Don’t get too crazy about the first guy you meet,� said my friend, who was sitting slouched across the room, swiping away on her own Tinder account.

Tinder is a dating app that allows you to comb through hundreds of singles in your area. You can either swipe left on someone’s profile picture and never see their face again, or swipe right if you’re interested in them.

Communication only opens if both parties swipe right on each other.

One of the reasons Tinder is so popular is because there’s a seemingly endless stream of singles in your area, which you can comb through anonymously.

“SAQ and chill?�

-Tim from Tinder

“When we are anonymously browsing only, we are willing to search more openly,� said Jui Ramaprasad, Assistant Professor in Information Systems at McGill University. “For example, think about how we browse on Facebook, anonymously, and how that behaviour would change if we were browsing non-anonymously.�

Anonymity contributes to the casual nature of the app—no one will know if you’re talking to one match or 20 matches at a time.

Matches become casually replaceable. “Our preliminary research on online dating in the mobile context does show that interactions on a mobile platform are less inhibited women—that is, we do see women initiating conversations on the mobile platform moreso than in traditional online dating,� Ramaprasad explained about heterosexual interactions.

After a few more messages, Tim and I set a date for the weekend. “Got anywhere in mind?� I said. “The tequila bar,� he replied back quickly. Ah, so 27-year-old Tim wanted to take me to drink tequila at night. Red flags, anyone?

I get it. Tinder is for sex. Since each profile provides only pictures, a name and an optional short biography, I shouldn’t expect any more than a quick hook-up. Still, I had faith in my fellow man. I heard stories from

people who met their significant other online, or at the very least, have had good conversation. I had no expectations other than a pleasant talk.

After a 30-minute metro ride out to the middle of nowhere, I saw a guy that slightly looked like Tim’s profile picture waving to me across the intersection.

He explained that the Tequila Bar was closed and quickly added that the SAQ was still open. “SAQ and chill?� he asked like a bad joke.

I laughed nervously and ignored the question, and asked if there were any other bars close by. Any place was better than his house, alone, with a bottle of cheap wine.

I was relieved to hear that there was a dingy bar a few streets away.

The bar was pathetic. Under the spotty florescent lights sat three old men at blue diner tables in an otherwise empty room.

We played a game of pool and conversation was slow and awkward.

When leaving the bar, he insisted I come back to his place with him, “just for a bit.� I felt trapped and his efforts to get me to trust him by saying, “I’m not going to rape you� didn’t make me feel any better. “I’m the guy here, I don’t have to worry about dangerous girls or being raped. I get it!� he said.

Safety is a big factor to keep in mind when online dating. Although it applies to everyone, women have been most reported to be victims of sexual assault and/or stalking.

Concordia student Dahlia Bercovitch explained her own stalking experience with a guy she knew previously, and reconnected with on Tinder. After they matched, she said that’s when the uncontrollable wave of unwanted messages “every hour� started on the app and other social networks. Eventually, she had to take steps to block him on all platforms. “There are ways to make [Tinder] safe, but I didn’t feel safe at that moment,� Bercovitch said.

On Tinder, unlike other dating services, there’s no algorithm to help you find the perfect match. It’s just a face on a screen, because of this, Tinder is the closest to what it’s like meeting someone at a bar, when your first instinct to start a conversation with someone is purely based on their looks. But a lot of the time, the principles of dating are lost in the weeds of assumed sex. “Research has shown that people are more disinhibited online,� said Ramaprasad. “There is a study that shows that people order pizza that is less healthy online, when they are anonymous, as opposed to when they order it face-to-face. We see the same sort of behaviour in online dating—that with anonymity at the search stage, viewing profiles, both men and women view significantly more profiles. That is, they are disinhibited.�

When anonymity is lost during the messaging stage, appropriateness is harder to observe. “It’s a bit hard to say in this context as people cannot message or comment anonymously to one another. However, there is

research that says anonymous posting leads to bullying and other inappropriate behaviour in online forums,� Ramaprasad said.

At Tim’s house, we played video games as I sat on the couch, my jacket still on. He repeatedly offered to smoke with him, told me about his experiences being catfished on Tinder, and asked about my virginity.

I asked him to drive me to the metro and thankfully, he obliged. As we approached the metro, his voice broke the silence: “this is an odd question, but do you wanna make out a

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little when I park?� I declined and laughed uncomfortably, jumping out of the car.

Tinder is so connected with the idea of quick sex, having any expectation for something different is perceived as misleading and unfair to the other person.

I’m not knocking Tinder or its users. If you’re up for a relationship like that, it’s a great starting place, but the most important thing to remember is you’re talking to an actual person, not just a face on an app to swipe left or right.

MORAG RAHN-CAMPBELL

CURRENT AFFAIRS

5

Greenhouse Blues

CSU Plans for Loyola Greenhouse Struggle to Find Fertile Soil CARL BINDMAN @CARLBINDMAN

In the works since 2013, plans and prices for a greenhouse at Loyola campus still haven’t taken root.

With estimates and proposals ranging between $150,000 and millions of dollars, last week’s Concordia Student Union meeting demonstrated that the student governing body still hasn’t decided what direction they want the project to take. “We’re looking at a traditional greenhouse,�

Gabrielle Caron, the CSU’s Sustainability Coordinator, said during the meeting. “Not a Walt Disney greenhouse.�

Certain details were revealed at the meeting, however. The greenhouse, when completed, will operate with the help of City Farm School. Of the three designs proposed in a feasibility study from last February, two have already been ruled out, while the third is still under consideration.

The third plan was carried out over the winter of 2014 and asks for traditional ground level or slightly underground greenhouse. Such a greenhouse would be independent of other buildings on campus—requiring new utilities infrastructure—and would sit farther away from the Student Centre building, making it less accessible and visible. It would potentially be less expensive, according to Terry Wilkings, General Coordinator of the CSU, who estimated the cost at approximately $150,000.

The complicating factor for the third design is that, according to statements made at the meeting, no new buildings are allowed to be built on Loyola campus. There’s a moratorium, and moving forward with an independent structure would require a lot of bureaucratic maneuvering, Wilkings said. He called the plan a “moving target.�

Wilkings said that they would try and

decide which design to develop by next month. Once that happens, a more accurate price can be estimated.

Having a greenhouse at Loyola is important, said Caron, because it would extend the growing season from its current four to six months, up to ten months, reducing the need for the school’s food providers to import fresh food. The fact that so many on-campus

The third greenhouse layout is currently under examination.

food providers could take advantage of the extended growing season makes it even more attractive, Caron said, pointing to The Hive CafĂŠs on both campuses, CafĂŠ X and more.

And, by partnering with City Farm School— right next to the Loyola—she said it would make operating the greenhouse easier, letting students participate and learn, and reduce costs by leaning on an existing market.

COURTESY OF CONCORDIA STUDENT UNION

Nifty By Association Exploring Concordia’s Lesser-Known Student Associations CLAIRE LOEWEN @CLAIRELWN

Let’s be honest: some student associations at Concordia can come across as a little vanilla sometimes—run-of-the-mill, hum-drum, old hat. The Arts and Science Federation of Associations and the Concordia Student Union may cater to one’s bureaucratic needs, but when it comes to personal interests, the road ahead can seem bleak.

The good news is there is an abundance of student organizations at Concordia that don’t fit in with the academic norm. You may have never heard of most of these groups, so here are three of Concordia’s unknown student association gems which you can join today.

Concordia Dodgeball League Need to blow off steam? Look no further.

This student association meets every Saturday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Le Gym to play the free, fun and stress-relieving sport of dodgeball. “We have this open gym, anybody can come, anybody can play,� said Concordia Dodgeball League president Justin Aiello. “If the gym’s open, we’re doing dodgeball.�

Just as he says, anybody can join, and no one has to commit to playing weekly. New students come to get their game on every week. “People literally just walk in the gym and they get put on a team,� Aiello added. “The

teams are always different.�

Every semester the league has a tournament, and according to Aiello the students love it. “People love our club,� he said. “It’s getting to the point where we’re thinking about doing dodgeball twice a week, we’re just so full.�

More information can be found on their Facebook page, CDL - Concordia Dodgeball League.

Concordia University Tea Enthusiasts Association This is more than just a group of students who sit around and talk about tea while drinking tea—well, there’s a bit of that. But according to CUTEA’s events coordinator Shai Marshall, their main objective is to promote a more friendly and stress-free environment. “We’re trying to promote a more positive spin on university life compared to the stereotypical ‘frat boy, get drunk’ sort of thing,� Marshall said, adding that the association’s goal is to cater to people who don’t have a voice by providing them with a nonjudgmental, friendly environment in which “anyone can come, just speak your mind!�

CUTEA is trying to focus on hosting more on-campus activities this year. They’ve organized a comedy night coming up on Feb. 5 with guest comedian Darron Checo from Just For Laughs, and have monthly meetings.

More information can be found on their Facebook group, Concordia University Tea Enthusiasts Association.

“Tea is a part of it, but I wouldn’t say it’s the cordia also offers resources to students who main thing. It’s more about promoting a posi- are hoping to get a job in technology. That tive healthy lifestyle,� Marshall said. means documentation, links to tutorials and free books online as well as specific technoloHackConcordia gies helpful for these hackathons.

If you’re trying to break into the tech industry, ConUHacks, Concordia’s hackathon, will this group is the place for you. HackConcor- take place this coming weekend, Jan. 23 to 24 dia’s main objective is to recruit people to and was organized by HackConcordia. There participate in hackathons to sharpen their are 250 participants on board, gearing up for computer skills.

24 straight hours of mayhem. “It’s not in the sense of hacking into systems but more hacking a project together,â€? Many, many more said HackConcordia president Buruç Asrin. On top of these groups, Concordia also has Hackathons are 24-to-36-hour events in an Otaku Anime group, a ski and snowboard which sponsoring companies provide an off- club, a street dance club, a bitcoin and crypto the-shelf piece of software, and participants club and hundreds more. University doesn’t are asked to use this product to create a piece have to be all about student politics and of technology. undergrad bureaucracy—take advantage of “The tech industry considers them as the associations Concordia has to offer and unofficial career fairs,â€? Asrin said. HackCon- get involved.

CUTEA holds a bakesale in the Hall building on Jan. 15, 2016.

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NIKOLAS LITZENBERGER

WELCOME TO CONCORDIA, DEREGUL ATING INTERNATIONAL TUITION STIRS STUDENT IRE

BY MICHELLE PUCCI @MICHELLEMPUCCI

I

f international student tuition becomes any higher at Concordia, Mayla Tenorio Vazquez says she may not be able to finish her degree.

The president of the Engineering and Computer Science Association is one of the nearly 7,000 foreigners paying $8,000 to $15,000 more than Quebec students for their education every year. “Right now, with the current costs I’m paying, at the end of every year I sit down with my parents and ask ‘can I do this again?’� she said.

Tenorio Vazquez is in her third year and pays $19,000 a year to Concordia—which is $2,000 to $4,000 more than other international students pay—because she is studying in a deregulated discipline.

International students in engineering, computer science and at the John Molson School of Business are the only students whose fees are entirely controlled by Concordia. As of 2014, the Quebec government is no longer collecting international tuition for several disciplines, which gives Concordia the right to increase or decrease tuition however it chooses.

If tuition becomes more expensive, Tenorio Vazquez said she’ll probably go to a community college in the U.S. where her parents live. “There’s a higher price on failing,� she said. “Sometimes I get advised by friends, ‘Oh if

you’re doing bad in a class just drop it this semester and take it next semester.’ That’s $2,000, for me to drop a class.�

Engineering and computer science students also need to meet a minimum C- grade for prerequisites. Tenorio Vazquez says this puts pressure on students who don’t meet the grade and have to retake and repay for the class. “That’s like a different game than for a student paying the Quebec rate.�

The Concordia Student Union, which represents all undergraduate students, has been against increased tuition fees since they were first announced in 2007. CSU council voted at a meeting on Jan. 13 to oppose any changes in tuition fees for international students that make education “less accessible.�

According to Concordia, those changes haven’t happened yet. “I’m not interested in that. We’re trying to make sure education is affordable. It’s not easy, but that’s our ambition,� said Concordia president Alan Shepard.

That hasn’t always been the case. Around the time that Quebec announced plans to unfreeze tuition fees and deregulate certain programs in 2007, Concordia’s former president Claude Lajeunesse called for a complete deregulation of all tuition, including that of Quebec students.

Amanda Holt, the International Student

Affairs coordinator at JMSB, says she isn’t afraid higher costs will deter international students. “American students are interested because it’s a great deal,� Holt said. “The cost for a whole degree here compares to one year in the States.�

Holt works on cultural and social programs such as JMSB Life, which is offered to all international undergraduates and graduate students throughout their degree.

For most international business students, the costs at Concordia are still less than what they would be paying at home institutions, according to Holt. Concordia’s fees, about $21,000, are also lower than McGill’s, which are set at about $40,000.

Deregulating in an economy of cuts A report commissioned by the education ministry in 2014 recommended removing restrictions on all non-Quebec student tuition fees, but maintaining low costs for in-province students. The recommendations were criticized as opening the door for hikes to tuitions for Quebec and graduate students. “It’s a concern to us,� said Alex Ocheoha, president of Concordia’s Graduate Students Association. “After the deregulation of undergraduate programs, the next step is graduate programs. That’s why we have to be against it from the start.�

In the face of growing budget cuts, deregulating programs is a viable option for universities to fund their operations and likely invest in underfunded departments. Since 2012, Concordia estimates a loss of $30 million per year in government grants. The university is expecting an $8 million deficit by the year’s end, after saying they cut as much as they possibly could.

In the past, the administration has tried to reduce their budget through measures such as a buyout program it carried out last year.

Concordia hoped 180 employees would take an early retirement severance package, but only 90 people participated. Among those people who took the buyout, 40 of them will not be replaced.

Concordia also won’t be upgrading computers, and have increased seminar classes, while reducing the number of courses offered in arts and science, fine arts and John Molson School of Business.

Cuts to the university’s co-op program have reduced the opportunities for students to work in smaller and non-profit organizations. The provincial government cut a grant that allowed the university to subsidize salaries for students to work in places that can’t afford to pay interns.

Students can now only apply for internships at larger companies that can afford to pay them.

The art history department has cut its co-op program altogether.

s s

HOW ARE TUITION FEES CALCULATED IN QUEBEC? BASE FEE 5IJT JT XIBU 2VFCFD SFTJEFOUT QBZ #BTF UVJUJPO XJUI B GVMM DSFEJU DPVSTF MPBE IBT JODSFBTFE GSPN JO UP JO

OUT-OF-PROVINCE FORFAITAIRE 'PS $BOBEJBOT UIBU BSFO U 2VFCFD SFTJEFOUT UVJUJPO JT NBEF VQ PG UIF CBTF GFF BOE B iGPSfaitaire� or premium.

5IF GPSGBJUBJSF GPS PVU PG QSPWJODF TUVEFOUT IBT JODSFBTFE PO BWFSBHF CZ QFS DFOU GPS UIF last three years as part of Quebec’s plan to “catch up� to other provinces’ tuition fees in Canada.

The Quebec government collects and redistributes this forfaitaire.

5IF PVU PG QSPWJODF GPSGBJUBJSF XJUI B GVMM DSFEJU DPVSTF MPBE IBT JODSFBTFE GSPN JO UP JO

INTERNATIONAL FORFAITAIRE 'PS $BOBEJBOT UIBU BSFO U 2VFCFD SFTJEFOUT UVJUJPO JT NBEF VQ PG UIF CBTF GFF BOE B iGPSfaitaire� or premium.

The forfaitaire for out-of-province students has increased on average by eight per cent for the last three years as part of Quebec’s plan to “catch up� to other provinces’ tuition fees in Canada. The Quebec government collects and redistributes this forfaitaire.

5IF PVU PG QSPWJODF GPSGBJUBJSF XJUI B GVMM DSFEJU DPVSTF MPBE IBT JODSFBTFE GSPN JO UP JO

ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

HOW ARE TUITION FEES CALCULATED AT CONCORDIA? QUEBEC STUDENTS #BTF GFF

DPNQVMTPSZ GFFT

OUT-OF-PROVINCE STUDENTS #BTF GFF

HPWFSONFOU GPSGBJUBJSF

DPNQVMTPSZ GFFT

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS #BTF GFF

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$PODPSEJB QSFNJVNT o

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INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN DEREGULATED PROGRAM YY YYY BU UIF VOJWFSTJUZ T EJTDSFUJPO

"T PG $PODPSEJB DBO DIBSHF FYUSB GPS BMM JOUFSOBUJPOBM TUVEFOUT 5IF BEEJUJPOBM GFFT BSF DBMDVMBUFE BT B QFSDFOUBHF PG UIF JOUFSOBUJPOBM GPSGBJUBJSF XJUI B NBY TVSDIBSHF PG QFS DFOU & H JG UIF JOUFSOBUJPOBM GPSGBJUBJSF JT QFS DSFEJU $PODPSEJB DBO DIBSHF BO BEEJUJPOBM QFS DSFEJU XIJDI BEET VQ UP JO FYUSB GFFT GPS B GVMM UJNF TUVEFOU $PODPSEJB LFFQT UIJT TVQQMFNFOU

COMPULSORY FEES 5IFTF GFFT BSF TFU CZ UIF VOJWFSTJUZ BOE JO BEEFE VQ UP GPS B DSFEJU DPVSTF MPBE The Quebec government capped the amount of increases universities can make to these fees. $PODPSEJB LFFQT UIFTF GVOET XIJDI BSF BMMPDBUFE GPS BENJOJTUSBUJWF UFDIOPMPHZ JOGSBTUSVDUVSF and recreation and athletics costs.

Note: Excludes student association fees which are an estimated $300–$465 extra for a 30-credit course load, depending on the faculty.

Source: Concordia.ca, Ministère de l’Éducation, de l’Enseignement supÊrieur et de la Recherche

WOULD YOU LIKE A RECEIPT? HOW MUCH FUNDING COMES FROM THE GOVERNMENT?

45% IN ONTARIO 80% IN NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

70% IN QUEBEC

Source: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

What is deregulation, anyway?

As of the 2007-2008 year, business, engineering, law, computer science, mathematics and pure sciences programs across Quebec are fully deregulated for international undergrads. This means a Quebec university can charge whatever they want and can keep the tuition fees. The deregulation process was in transition until 2014, when Quebec completely phased out all funding for international students in these programs.

Since the programs were completely deregulated in 2014, Concordia hasn’t made any drastic increases in tuition for international students, unlike McGill, where fees have risen beyond $30,000 a year. Concordia administrators are still figuring out if, and by how much, they would raise tuition.

In the past, fees from these programs were collected by the provincial government and redistributed to universities based on enrollment and the financial costs of certain programs.

Universities like Concordia and McGill, which attract nearly 17,000 international students, have referred to the redistribution system as “claw-backs� since most of the money collected goes toward funding regional universities or schools with fewer international students.

In 2007, the provincial government gave universities the choice to increase supplementary fees by 10 per cent for all international students, in order to fund promotional and recruitment activities.

This lets Concordia charge more than $1,000 in extra fees that go back into the university’s coffers. Concordia continues to charge this extra 10 per cent for nonderegulated programs.

Despite protests by students in 2008, the university’s board of governors voted in favour of hiking international fees in order to take advantage of this 10 per cent surcharge. Students managed to filibuster a meeting on June 19 until it lost quorum.

Ultimately, their efforts could not prevent Concordia from instituting a hike.

The controversial decision eventually took place via teleconference on June 27.

The CSU managed to win a 10-day injunction by the Quebec Superior Court, after they called the process illegal, but the surcharge came into effect soon after.

For student representatives, deregulating programs cuts into the fundamental idea of education as a human right. “You’re creating a scenario where there are two different gas stations, one at Concordia and one at McGill,� said Terry Wilkings, General Coordinator at the CSU. “Concordia is looking at McGill, and McGill is looking at Concordia to see what’s the sweet spot to attract the highest

number of students, but also get the highest amount of revenue from these students.�

The CSU has been critical about the provincial cuts to education and other social services spending, which it claims is privatizing provincial institutions. “Increasingly you’re seeing a shift towards: how can we market the product of Concordia’s education to an international student market?� Wilkings said. “I don’t think that’s how we should be viewing international students.�

International students on the market Concordia is currently testing pricing models that will give international students and parents peace of mind that tuition won’t jump halfway through their degree. “We are working on an approach where

students will have a tuition guarantee for the duration of their studies in the deregulated program,� said Concordia’s spokesperson, Chris Mota, in an email. “This is an important factor in choosing a university by both students and parents.�

This pricing model could come with restrictions that could penalize international students who change programs or who participate in campus life and take longer to complete their degree, Wilkings from the CSU said.

The university says it will have to set some rules for this model “in order to protect both the student and the university.� “Obviously the university is interested in creating some level of certainty,� Wilkings said. “The best way to create certainty is to create a flat fee.�

CONCORDIA INTERNATIONAL TUITION (2005-2016) Note: Tuition rates for 2011-2012 were based on Ministry requirements and estimations since they were not available online.

Source: Concordia University Academic Calendar, Concordia.ca, estimation

ENROLMENT OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN COURSES OFFERED FOR CREDIT, BY FACULTY (2014-2015) ARTS AND SCIENCE

1,537 22.2%

ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE

2,819 40.7%

FINE ARTS JOHN MOLSON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS VISITING AND OTHER TOTAL

301

4.3%

1,491 21.5% 783 11.3% 6,931 100%

But Quebec has been working with a double-standard funding model since the ‘90s. Students from outside of the province have been paying more in order to compensate for growing costs and tuition freezes for Quebec residents. “We see this as playing an optics game—trying to minimize anger felt by in-province students and their families, and, you know, voters, by slightly reducing in-province fees at the expense of charging out-of-province students significantly more,� said Erika Shaker from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, a national research group.

Shaker is the director of the organization’s Education Project and the co-author of a report called, “What’s the Difference?� which studies university tuition policies.

Quebec has maintained the second lowest fees in Canada and has put in place policies to increase non-Quebec resident fees by approximately six per cent per year over the last three years, in order to bring those rates closer to the Canadian average. “I think it’s far more accurate to say ‘bring accessibility standards down to the Canadian average’—because high tuition fees is not something for any province to aspire to,� Shaker said. “Universality and accessibility, however, are—and sadly the move towards charging students more and expecting less from public funding undercuts any commitment to these principles.�

Mayla Tenorio Vazquez, says she hasn’t heard of any plans to increase the rate in her discipline. She said the engineering faculty is concerned about how students are being affected. “A lot of what attracts students to Concordia is the low tuition rates compared to the rest of Canada,� she said. That same low tuition is part of the reason she came to Montreal in the first place.

8

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Syrian Student Association Wants Concordia Refugee Resource Centre Question Seeking Student Approval to Appear in Next CSU General Election JONATHAN CARAGAY-COOK @HIIMBIRACIAL

Lately, Concordia’s Syrian Students’ Association’s email account has been overflowing with messages. “Just today before I came in, someone sent, ‘Hey I’m a new refugee here—I have a lot of questions about Concordia,’� said Kinan Swaid, president of the SSA. Admittedly, Swaid says he and his small team don’t have all the answers to the many important questions people have about properly settling in Montreal.

To provide better support for thousands of Syrian refugees in the city and at Concordia, Swaid and over 700 students want to see the creation of a refugee resource centre using student money.

Since Jan. 1, 2015, there have been 1,947 privately sponsored Syrian refugees who have come to Montreal.

Swaid said the centre’s goal will be to fully integrate refugees, including the thousands of people from Syria, to live and succeed in Canada. “Refugee crises are happening all the time,� he commented. “We’re trying to create a system where we’re always prepared at Concordia.�

During the exam period last semester, Swaid said the SSA collected over 700 student signatures on a petition gauging interest to create a resource centre for refugees, in response to the ongoing Syrian crisis.

Since they surpassed the 500-signature

threshold, a question formally asking if students support this idea will go to referendum in the forthcoming Concordia Student Union general election, which has yet to be announced. The centre will need $0.37 per credit from every student to operate, according to Swaid.   “I think it’s an incredible initiative,� said CSU General Coordinator Terry Wilkings.

He added that the rapid mobilization shows that there’s a lot of interest from students in tangibly supporting Syrian refugees. The Chief Electoral Officer of the upcoming elections will have final authority on how the question will be presented at polling stations, according to Wilkings.  While Swaid stated the centre won’t turn anyone down, its main focus will be on assisting student refugees—the first to specifically focus on doing so in Montreal.

The centre will provide services such as tutoring in subjects like languages and math, as well as information on immigration, healthcare, and academia, according to Swaid.  Another priority is helping refugees find work. “The first step for a refugee to feel at home is for them to make their own money,� Swaid said, adding that the centre will also provide an entrepreneurial program to possibly help refugees start their own business or app.

A constitution has already been drafted and will be reviewed by the CSU policy committee, Swaid said, adding that the collected fee-levy money will go toward paying a full-time staff,

financing bursaries and potentially purchasing affordable housing property for refugee students.

If the question passes, the centre will find a headquarter space close to the downtown campus, although it hasn’t been determined yet, Swaid said, joking that the SSA office is too small.

Not waiting for the centre Regardless of whether the question passes or not, Swaid said the SSA will continue to assist Syrian refugees. Last semester, the student association raised $7,414 to bring more Syrian refugee students to Concordia, mostly through bake sales in the Hall building.

Concordia Chancellor Jonathan Wener, the Concordia physics department and the university itself previously announced they’ll sponsor students from the Al-Salam school in Turkey. Their sponsorships will only cover tuition, so the Syrian Kids Foundation—a Canadian-based charity—will cover all their living expenses.

The cost of sponsoring one refugee to live in the city for a year is approximately $12,000, according to Swaid.

With the money from the bake sales and donations from other initiatives around the city, Swaid says they raised approximately $24,000.

A Syrian Refugee Fund has also been set up through Concordia’s FundOne program in collaboration with the SSA. Similar to a KickStarter campaign, donors can put money

Concordia’s Latest Pilot Project

toward school bursaries specifically for Syrian refugees, according to Sophie Johnson, from the university’s Advancement and Alumni Relations office. “The people that are already here are safe,�

Swaid said. “They need money to go to school.�

Both part-time and full-time Syrian refugee students from any program will be eligible for these bursaries, Johnson added. This fund will hopefully go live in two weeks, she said.     On top of this initiative, the SSA is holding a campaign called, “#WelcomeSyrians - A Thousand Baskets of Love.� The aim is to collect basic items like diapers and canned goods to be distributed in gift baskets to Syrian refugees throughout Montreal.

The campaign will last from until Feb. 1, and drop-bins are located within the library buildings at both campuses. Â

Members of the Syrian Student Association at KINAN SWAID a bake sale.

UAV Association Sets Sights on International Drone Competition KELSEY LITWIN @KELSEYLITWIN

In a lab, tucked into a corner at the end of a hallway hides a group of students with dreams of flight. “Humans have always wanted to fly,� said Amirali Shankaei, president of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems at Concordia. The fourth-year electrical engineering student is one of the 40-odd students that make up UAV, which designs and builds drones for competition.

While the club is only in its second year, they’re hopeful that they have what it takes to compete internationally. In 2016, the group is set to design and manufacture an unmanned aerial vehicle, or drone, that functions autonomously.

Sample drone built by UAV Concordia.

The idea is that the team could program a task into the drone and sit back while it completes its work—with a remote control on hand, just in case something goes awry.

Firas Khelifi, director of competition projects for UAV Concordia, explained that the team will be travelling to three competitions over the next year: one in Manitoba, one in the Washington, D.C. area and one in the United Arab Emirates. The nature of each competition will vary, with challenges ranging from scanning a field for crop analysis to finding a way to use the technology for humanitarian work.

Khelifi explained that with a camera mounted onto their drone, they could create a 3-D map of an area in as little as three minutes, which could then be used to coordinate

KELSEY LITWIN

a search and rescue procedure.

According to Khelifi, this year’s international UAE competition is set to take place in October, and is the most daunting. However, with a prize of $1 million U.S., it’s also the most appealing. “The UAE Government invites the most innovative and creative minds to find solutions that will improve people’s lives and provide positive technological solutions to modern day issues,� explains the competition’s website.

While their participation in the competition is not set in stone—it is hyper-competitive and only a limited number of entrants are accepted—UAV Concordia is doing all they can to increase their odds, including looking across faculty lines for help. Shankaei and Khelifi explained that to ensure they are looking at this challenge from every angle, they’ve built a partnership with a group of 10 students from JMSB, as well as graduate students and professors in the department of geography.

With the help of the department of geography, the engineering and science students that make up UAV Concordia gain a greater understanding of tasks that involve with 3-D mapping and agriculture. The club is able to better understand what sort of environmental issues exist and how their technology can be used to help solve those issues.

The JMSB students share their marketing expertise, helping the engineers fine-tune their presentations—crucial when they only

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have five minutes to present their concept.

It is this type of collaboration that excites the students behind UAV. “In electrical engineering, you only learn electrical engineering,� Shankaei said.

The club gives students in highly specialized fields the chance to step back and understand practical applications for what they are learning.

In an email, Shankaei and Khelifi wrote that the ultimate goal of UAV Concordia, “is to provide participating students hands-on experience and an environment where [there are] different mindsets to help them in their future careers.�

The hands-on experience includes real-life restrictions. Abiding to local flying laws is a must, as is having a Special Flight Operations Certificate if the drone weighs over 2 kg. This limits the areas in which it’s safe to fly a UAV, including away from tall structures and airports. Failure to follow these guidelines could result in up to $25,000 in fines, according to Transport Canada.

When all legal precautions are taken care of, they must also take into account the laws of nature. Shankaei and Khelifi wrote that, “the tough Montreal winter ‌ has us grounded for a long period of time, meaning that we cannot test our drone until the weather gets better in the spring.â€?

However, the excitement in the air persists. “To see the thing you’ve made take off,� described Khelifi. “The feeling is overwhelming.�

FRINGE ARTS

PHOTOS COURTESY KEVIN WARD

Mapping the Skin

The Creative Process of a Home-Based Montreal Tattoo Artist FIONA MAYNARD @FIONAAURA

Kevin Ward, a Montreal tattoo artist, has devoted his life to creating masterpieces on human skin.

He sets no boundaries in his creative process and attempts to produce magic with needles and ink. Curiously enough, for someone who works in an industry marked by its permanence, he dedicates his success to embracing the process of failure. “If we don’t fail we don’t learn, and if we don’t learn we can’t become more creative,� Ward said. Failing as a tattooist is not an option, but failing when practicing a piece is crucial to ensure perfection in the end result.

Ward worked as an airbrush and digital illustration artist for nearly 15 years before he discovered he could make a generous living working in the tattoo industry. After that, with six years of tattooing under his belt, he established a name for himself and a client base of nearly 4,000 people. This is what prompted him to open up his own tattoo shop from home.

The decision to start his own business was driven by his need to eliminate the drama that comes with working in a tattoo shop. He says there is too much competition between artists and many of them start getting an “I-own-this-person-mentality.� Ward believes many of these tattooists are hardly artists since their only goal is to gain as many clients as possible.

Now that Ward has branched off on his own, he does sometimes miss being surrounded by opinions and ideas of other artists, but altogether is happier working independently.

Tattooing is a special practice to Ward, and he has his own notion of what his work signifies. “I’m mapping people’s lives by mixing an idea with an artistic outlook and putting it on someone forever in a way that will satisfy them the most,� he explained.

Most of his art is based on realism—he specializes in black and grey pieces. Some of his finest works include motorbikes, portraits, animals, cars, skulls and women. Ward’s signature style is dark and wicked, so most of his pieces have an edgy and breathtakingly real-life feel to them. “The monochromatic aspect of everything I’ve ever tattooed has a classy feel to it, one that coloured portraits and drawings just don’t have,� Ward said.

It was Ward’s fearlessness that drew him to tattooing. He says

his creative process works as a mechanical filter, as he analyzes hundreds of different styles and ideas, hand picks the main theme and then creates one picture that flows. He knows his art form requires him to actually see the product done on paper before putting it on skin, and that means using his past experience to determine what style works and how it will best fit together. “You need to filter everything you see in your brain and project it from your brain to your hand. You’re jumping off a cliff and not looking back,� Ward said.

He has high standards for himself, and it’s easy for him to tell an exceptional tattoo from a poor one. “A good tattoo sits on the skin well, the lines are defined and the shadows are defined,� he said. He went on to describe how a tattoo needs to be strategically placed so it highlights a person’s body. Details are not to be forgotten. “When you stand back from a tattoo and look at it as a whole it should look good, but getting up closer should look even better.�

It’s tough to determine when a piece is finished, but Ward knows when his brain says “that’s enough.� He knows he’s gone too far when an image doesn’t flow anymore. When a piece of art gets past that point, it gets complicated. Structure is important to guide the human eye and Ward says that a tattoo is “like reading a superhero comic book. You can follow these pages really easily.�

Mistakes are inevitable for any artist, so when Ward feels he’s created a bad drawing, he throws it out—it’s a learning process.

Sometimes he will draw hundreds of different pictures for fun until he finds one he can work with. “You get a ‘eureka’ moment where you remember your creativity. It’s all about the trying and the effort,� he said.

Ward’s philosophy is that for each success you will have an equal number of failures. “You have to win 51 per cent of the time because that way, you’re always moving forward,� he added.

Overall, Ward has learned to not be affected by anyone’s opinion. He doesn’t base his art on the opinions of others, but instead he will use criticism to get better. He encourages aspiring tattoo artists to draw every day and most importantly “never say you can’t do something. Whether you say ‘I can’t or I can’t’ you are always right.� thelinknewspaper.ca/fringe t +BO

10 FRINGE ARTS

Nico Holzmann, Pierrick Hamonet and Sam Jones jam at the Off the Block vernissage on Jan. 14, 2016.

PHOTOS MICHAEL MACLEAN

A Chip Off the Old Block

Woodcut Prints Featured in Fine Arts Vernissage OCEAN DEROUCHIE @OSHIEPOSHIE

Popop is like any other gallery space, but on Jan. 14 it hosted Off the Block’s vernissage, a group show featuring woodcut-prints of 19 Concordia fine arts students.

The gallery featured traditional 2-D prints, as well as sculptures and interactive works including a tent made from cloud-printed textiles and a record player in the corner, quietly spinning lathe cut vinyls.

Artwork by Michael Maclean

Woodblock printing is an old technique that originated in East Asia. This traditional carving method is still used today, however digital imagery can now be translated into laser cut woodblocks.

The artist carves their design into a woodblock with chisels, bladed tools or power tools.

When inked, the original wood surface collects the pigment, and the engraved negative space remains blank. “It’s a really meditative process,� said Dom Camps, one of the artists and organizers. “It can be frustrating, but the wood is so tactile.�

The sheer mass of vernissage-goers would eventually warm the room to uncomfortable temperatures, yet no one seemed to notice.

Perhaps it was the good company, maybe it was the captivating artwork—or a wonderful combination of the two.

Woodcut is a precise, relief-printing technique, and the fine details require meticulous rendering. While all different in style, the collective art at the exhibition was tied together by the shared method by which it was created.

All the works are based on the artists’ individual concept. “Limbo,� by Dom Camps, is named after the Radiohead song. At first glance, the piece looks like a circuit board.

With a closer look however, the viewer notices that the chaotic linear visuals are in sync with the rhythms of the song. “I’ve been working with a lot of graphic patterns, particularly grids,� Camps said. “I often take grids from computer imagery or photos of nature. Like, the grid from distorted water. I extract the pattern from that and experiment juxtaposing it with different materials and processes.�

Woodcut-print artwork on display in the Popop Gallery at the Belgo on Jan. 14, 2016.

The differing themes in the artworks were incomparable. In a print named “Ma belle giraffe,â€? a nude woman throws her arms up as she rides a giraffe, while prairie cats scramble beneath the feet of the colossal yellow creature. “She’s got some hair under her armpits,â€? said SĂŠdrick St-Jacques Couture, the artist. “She’s explodingâ€?.

The mystical cloud tent hung from the ceiling, swaying. Next to it was an attractive image in of a rainy windshield view in green hues. Their creator, Elizabeth Xu, also one of the event’s organizers and a graphics contributor for The Link, explained the concept behind the pieces. “I work a lot with dreams,� she began. “The tent is based on a dream that I had that I was creating these clouds.�

The print, however, came from a real life experience.

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I went on a road trip with my father through Guilin, China, in the middle of a rainstorm,� she said. “So to me, this was representative of a shared experience that we got to have.�

While the show is in a modern gallery setting and encouraged off the wall expression through sculpture, sound and interaction, the artists celebrated the contemporary use of traditional methods of printmaking. Their works embodied the laborious craftsmanship and care that is required of this ancient art form. “It’s a big contrast to how we’re used to operating [in everyday life],� Xu said. “It makes you slow down and think about the process.�

Off the Block // Popop Gallery (L’Êdifice Belgo, 372 Ste. Catherine St. W., Suite 442444) // Until Jan. 24, Tuesday to Sunday, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

SPORTS

Stingers basketball player Jonathan Mirambeau was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 11 years old.

NIKOLAS LITZENBERGER

Dunking for Success

4UJOHFST (VBSE +POBUIBO .JSBNCFBV 4QFBLT "CPVU -JGF BT B %JBCFUJD "UIMFUF ALEXANDER PEREZ @DASALEXPEREZ

It was a normal day at his grandmother’s house when an 11-year-old Jonathan Mirambeau felt ill.

He was rushed to a doctor, who diagnosed him with type 1 diabetes. The previous week, he recalled acting strangely. “One day I just felt weird. I was going to the bathroom a lot, I was always thirsty,� said the third-year Concordia Stingers basketball guard Mirambeau. “That’s when I discovered something was maybe wrong. My mom took

NIKOLAS LITZENBERGER

me to the doctor’s, and I became diabetic.�

Despite the unfortunate circumstances that Jonathan Mirambeau finds himself in, his motivation to succeed doesn’t waver.

Type 1 diabetes—formerly known as juvenile diabetes—is a condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin, a hormone that helps move sugar into the cells of the body. Without it, sugar stays in the bloodstream, affecting everything from energy to vision among other symptoms. More than 300,000 Canadians have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

Mirambeau started playing basketball two years before his diagnosis, at the age of nine. Despite his worrying health concerns, he continued pursuing basketball and began playing competitively in high school when he was 12-years-old.

The constant concerns that come with being a young student-athlete with diabetes were not an issue for Mirambeau. “I was still a kid,� Mirambeau said. “Your parents take care of you a lot.�

It wasn’t until the tail-end of high school that Mirambeau fully recognized the strains of being a diabetic athlete. The burden that diabetes imposes on his daily routine became more evident in university, where he had to balance having an active life with the fastpaced life of a student. “You notice more the importance of being diabetic when you play basketball, because the intensity is different,� Mirambeau said. “You have to organize yourself and be more

self-conscious and autonomous.�

With the demanding life of a student athlete, Mirambeau tries to test his blood sugar level every two hours, along with keeping up with meals and snacks to manage himself throughout his day. “It’s always a question of control. That’s when I realized that being diabetic had an impact on sports,� he added.

Mirambeau admits the struggles and physical constraints he’s forced to cope with as a university basketball player are frustrating.

Whether on the court, or on the bench, it’s a thought that often lingers in his mind. “It’s always something that’s in my mind because I have to stay ready,� Mirambeau admitted. “I constantly think, ‘I have to be ready to go.’ You never know when your name is going to be called.�

Mirambeau constantly strives to improve as a basketball player, and it’s with the guidance of his coaches that he’s able to do so.

He expresses his gratitude without hesitation towards the Concordia Stingers coaching staff for their understanding over his difficult situation.  “He’s very good at managing [his diabetes]. He’s very good at telling us when he needs to take a break and that’s tough,� said current Stingers head coach, Rastko Popovic. “In practice he doesn’t use that as an excuse, he plays hard, and if he needs a break he tells me.�

Through the course of the season, Mirambeau is a player Popovic has grown fond of.

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His competitive attitude, combined with his terrific work ethic have left the Stingers head coach with only good things to say about him. “I have nothing but support and respect for him for being able to do these things. A lot of people would find it very difficult and he does it day in and day out,� Popovic said. “He’s tremendous, the whole story’s tremendous. I’m very proud of him.�

When he’s not in school or playing basketball, Mirambeau actively takes part in camps with the Diabetic Children’s Foundation, where he helps motivate kids through sports. “I’ve participated in these camps for a while. I’ve worked there with them. These events are really good to make people conscious about what it is to have diabetes,�

Mirambeau said.

Many professional athletes face the same problematic health concerns that could hinder their performances, if not managed properly. The NFL’s Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, and the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes’ forward Max Domi are just two of many athletes who live with type 1 diabetes.

Professional athletes such as Cutler and Domi serve as inspiration for Mirambeau.

Despite his diabetes, he hopes he can provide the same motivation he displays through his performances. “It does motivate me, and I hope that what I do with basketball now at Concordia, as a diabetic student [will] also help motivate young kids coming into this game. You know, it is possible to do it.�

THE LINK’S CALL FOR CONTRIBUTORS RACE SPECIAL ISSUE Ever wondered why the news doesn’t interest you?

Maybe because it doesn’t represent you.

Contribute to The Link’s Race Special Issue to reverse this trend. We’re looking for writers, photographers, videographers, graphic artists and illustrators to narrow the gap.

The deadline to submit content is Jan. 29.

We’ve organized a brainstorm meeting and a workshop session to get you thinking about issues around racial representation in the media. Come join the conversation.

Race Special Issue Brainstorm Tuesday at 6 P.M. 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W. Room H-649 CONTACT 514-848-2424 ext. 8682 // news@thelinknewspaper.ca // current@thelinknewspaper.ca

OPINIONS 13

How Do We Define Anxiety?

LINDSAY RICHARDSON

There are certain terms that escape concise, user-friendly definitions. Irony is one. Anxiety is another.

Irony could be described as such: setting out to write a mental health column for your university newspaper while simultaneously being hauled into the emergency room for a longoverdue psychiatric evaluation. The doctors concretely diagnosed me with “complex posttraumatic stress disorder.� It was a frame that made my anxiety seem comprehensible—or like I had crawled from the trenches of a warravaged combat zone.

The American Psychological Association defines anxiety as “an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure.� It’s a pretty broad, grey definition. They also say anxiety usually involves recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns, avoidance of stressful situations and physical symptoms like a rapid heartbeat.

I’ll say it—there is no easy or right way to summarize anxiety. There is no euphemism or metaphor that properly embodies it—it’s a subjective affliction.

I don’t know if I ever really acknowledged the

extent of my anxiety until my behaviour went beyond what would be considered “normal� in nervous situations. I was apprehensive about the things that most people my age were nervous about: presentations, first impressions, call waiting. Then at some point, there was a shift.

Something was innately wrong. People kept telling me I looked great. I felt like shit. I was sick.

The further irony of the situation is that in the midst of my first “breakdown� I was working as a unit coordinator in the psych ward of the Montreal General Hospital. I was separated from volatile patients by protective plate glass on three sides of the room. I saw a non-stop rotation of all types of people: schizophrenics, drug addicts, borderlines and obsessive-compulsives.

I noticed another demographic, one that struck me personally and seemed to encompass a range of issues: the “youth.�

The Canadian Mental Health Association estimates that between 10 to 20 per cent of Canadian youth are affected by a mental illness or disorder—what they define as the single most disabling group of disorders worldwide.

Anxiety is the most common mental illness in Canada and more than 28 per cent of people aged 20 to 29 will experience a mental illness.

MADELEINE GENDREAU

This particular demographic of youth, otherwise in their early or “prime� working years, are hit hard.

There were so many young people in the psych ward. They had anxiety disorders, suicidal tendencies and substance abuse issues.

They were seemingly normal kids leading seemingly normal lives, yet they all somehow fell under the same disheartening umbrella of “mental illness�—myself included.

This observation was a sobering one: I was comforted to be in the company of other socalled “anxious� kids, yet I couldn’t help but wonder exactly what the fuck was eating us all alive, and why.

I tried to take the numbers and put part of the blame on societal habits—that being part of a hyper-technological, hyper-materialistic community yielded more anxious youth. I tried to establish a line between “normal� stress and “anxiety,� with no success.

I have no real authority to pass judgment—I didn’t write the books, I’m just part of the subject matter. What I’m trying to say, in no eloquent or scholarly fashion, is to be aware, not only of ourselves and our own parameters of “functioning,� but of others. Mental illness still carries an implicit stigma that people, particularly those

who are considered to be in the “prime� of their lives, may misconstrue.

The direction of this piece changed several times during its production. My editor and I discussed at length, and tried to fine-tune it to a “point.� The thing is, aside from statistics, it’s hard to concretize or define issues surrounding anxiety. My own diagnosis has “complex� in its title, and at the core that’s what can be said of all mental illness: it’s a complex, multifaceted issue, a fabric of experience, coping mechanisms, self esteem, social exposure and neurochemicals.

This article may have opened with a personal anecdote, but the struggle is not all mine. In fact, there should be comfort in knowing there are so many other people who fall somewhere in these parameters. It’s an asset, a coping currency, to know that the numbers are there and we’re not alone. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all antidote.

You might not know me—the girl with complexities to go around—but I know how it feels to live in the midst of anxiety’s big, bad, grey spaces. As young people, we have to remember that a big component of overcoming anxiety is the discourse—the conversation and exchange between those in need of support and those who stand to provide it. We’re not alone, and we can open up and talk about it.

the bottom line: setting a goal for yourself is a good thing and you shouldn’t feel bad about it. You made these resolutions for you, so don’t let someone’s negative words throw

you off course. After all, it’s not them you’re trying to achieve these goals for, right? So let’s continue this year on a good note, and kick 2016’s ass.

Nah’msayin?

Don’t Hate on New Year’s Resolutions JULIA MIELE

We are well into the new year, folks. With start of a new semester, there may be many moments when you accidentally write the year as “2015� at the top of your notes in class.

You may get that odd in-between sensation where you feel groggy because you just got off of a long holiday break, but also refreshed because it’s a new year with new goals to strive for. Speaking of goals, I’ve got a question for you: got any New Year’s resolutions?

Many of us have made a list of goals we’d like to achieve in 2016—something I think is really admirable to do, no matter how small you think the goal may be. It could be anything, from getting at least one “A� as a final grade this semester, to cutting back on smoking. Every resolution is different, but each holds individual significance, which is why I really don’t appreciate it when I hear people talk about how silly and pointless resolutions are.

It’s a common sentiment: “oh, but you’ll just end up dropping the goal by February anyways, so what’s the point?�

Please don’t say something like this to someone who genuinely wants to work hard to achieve what they’ve set out to do in the new year. Not everyone is strong-willed—some are susceptible to becoming discouraged, and it’s important to be supportive and help them achieve their resolutions rather than tell them it’s all futile.

Alright, so maybe you think resolutions aren’t all that for whatever reason, and it’s totally cool to have that opinion—to each their own.

However, if you’ve ever been discouraged over something you were passionate about, as I’m sure most of us have, then you’ll know that it’s a really shitty feeling. So why would you do it to someone else?

If you’ve made resolutions and find yourself surrounded by the haters, just remember

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JENNIFER AEDY

14

COMICS

Standards by Graeme Shorten Adams @foreshortening

Crap Comics by Morag Rahn-Campbell

#BMMPPO 7FOUVSFT CZ .BOHFLLP +POFT

The Adventures of Every-Man by @samdchurchii

Caity Comics by Caity Hall @caityhallart

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EDITORIAL 15

JENNIFER AEDY

EDITORIAL Deregulation Needs to Be Derailed Concordia’s international students must not face exponential tuition hikes as a result of the Quebec government’s decision to deregulate certain disciplines.

Deregulating a program means that all supplementary fees paid by international students go to the university and not to the government. In turn, the government doesn’t provide grants for these students.

The sum of all these parts is that universities will be able to set tuition rates for their own programs, unchecked by government regulations. If that sounds like a recipe for a tuition raising free-for-all, that’s because it very well could be.

Tuition hikes are always a hot-button issue in Quebec, and this case isn’t any different.

We protest them with marches and strikes, but so far, the reality of this situation hasn’t seemed to have fully sunk in.

Last semester, the Concordia Student Union had a referendum vote asking students if they opposed “any increase in tuition fees and obligatory institutional fees for all

Volume 36, Issue 17 Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2016 Concordia University Hall Building, Room H-649 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W. Montreal, Quebec H3G 1M8 editor: 514-848-2424 x. 7407 arts: 514-848-2424 x. 5813 news: 514-848-2424 x. 8682 business: 514-848-7406 advertising: 514-848-7406

students, whether Quebec resident, out of province, or International.� Concordia has a population of about 46,000 students. When the results came in, 862 voted ‘Yes,’ 109 voted ‘No,’ and 141 abstained.

CSU General Coordinator Terry Wilkings said deregulation, even on a small scale, could be considered “as a pilot project to further deregulate post-secondary education in Quebec.� Translation: if you’re not concerned because you’re local and you think this isn’t your problem, you could be mistaken soon.

As it stands now, six programs in Quebec—law, management, engineering, computer science, mathematics and pure sciences—have already been deregulated.

There is a precedent already in place.

We’re not the only province to experience this phenomenon. In Ontario, all programs have already been deregulated for international students, with staggering impact to fees. According to the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, since 1996, international student rates have increased

at breakneck pace compared to domestic tuition—from an average of $4,000 to $18,000 in 2011-2012.

The entry barrier to postsecondary education is already high. Higher education is still a privileged institution, and raising the hurdles for international students is detrimental to university life. From Concordia’s point-of-view, it’s easy to look at the profit to be made with deregulation, but this is choosing short-term financial gain. In the long term, raising tuition fees could alienate prospective international students and lead to lower enrollment.

From a student point-of-view, paying more is always going to suck—but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Quebec is a Frenchspeaking province, it’s already harder for some international students to find steady jobs that could help pay for tuition.

Universities pool great ideas from different people—the higher diversity of ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, the more open the minds of our students will be and

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2015-2016: Mathieu D’Amours, Colin Harris, ClÊment Liu, Jake Russell, Graeme Shorten Adams, Erin Sparks, non-voting members: Rachel Boucher, Michelle Pucci.

TYPESETTING by The Link PRINTING by Hebdo-Litho.

CONTRIBUTORS: Safia Ahmad, Carl Bindman, Alex Carriere, Mathieu D’Amours, Ocean DeRouchie, Noelle Didierjean, Sarah Dimmock, Caity Hall, Amy Halloran, Sarah, Jesmer, Kelsey Litwin, Fiona Maynard, Chris Michaud, Julia Miele, Jon Milton, Alex Perez, Nick Pevato, Morag Rahn-Campbell, Lindsay Richardson, Graeme Shorten Adams Cover: Laura Lalonde

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the better our reputation will be abroad. A homogenous home-base student population is the enemy of forward thinking.

Concordia’s diversity is part of what makes it an incredible place to learn and get involved. Our university is host to international students from more than 150 different countries, and 15 per cent of the population of for-credit students is made up of international students. Tuition hikes stand to damage the social and cultural wealth that we gain from having such a rich international community of students.

Deregulation also fails to account for the future contributions that these international students can add to our city if they decide to live here after their studies are done.

Concordia has been tight-lipped as to whether or not they’re going to actually go ahead and raise tuition. Before doing so, it should consider the larger ramifications of their actions.

As students, it’s also our job to stand up for our fellow classmates.

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MICHELLE PUCCI OPEN OPEN JONATHAN CARAGAY-COOK HÉLĂˆNE BAUER JOSH FISCHLIN MARIE BRIĂˆRE DE LA HOSSERAYE ZACH GOLDBERG VINCE MORELLO JULIAN MCKENZIE CLAIRE LOEWEN RILEY WIGNALL LAURA LALONDE NIKOLAS LITZENBERGER MADELEINE GENDREAU RACHEL BOUCHER MACKENZIE KIRBY CLEVE HIGGINS